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The Underrated Side of America

When one thinks of the United States of America, these images and cities come to mind – the sunny weather of Los Angeles, the bustling streets of New York, the theme park extravaganza in Orlando, the sprawling views in San Francisco and the coffeehouse scene in Seattle. These are the popular and most often visited cities in the USA that, more often than not, saying the word America is almost synonymous to the cities mentioned. Since flights to USA are frequent and readily available at the click of a button, give yourself a chance to discover a different part of America by visiting any of these 5 underrated yet wonderful cities.

Known as the most populous metropolis in New Mexico, Albuquerque is home to picturesque mountains that act as the skyline’s backdrop and an Old Town that holds remnants of adobe buildings. This city is considered an affordable destination for outdoor enthusiasts due to the almost perfect weather and the chance to hike Sandia Mountains, which has more than 100 miles of hiking trails and the Sandia Peak ski area. One can also opt to take the Sandia Peak tramway, the world’s second longest tramway, to the summit of the range for an epic view of over 11,000 square miles of New Mexico terrain. Pedestrian friendly and lively with a booming restaurant, art and cultural attractions scene. Book your flights to Albuquerque in the fall when they celebrate the hot air balloon festival.

With Los Angeles and San Francisco taking the spotlight in the golden state of California, San Diego is often left in the shadows. This city can be found between the jutting peaks of the Rockies on one side and the North Pacific on the other. You get the best of both worlds since you have the choice to hike or to spend a day on the beach on any given day. In fact, you are guaranteed a breezy and laidback visit and a great tan to boot since you have unrivaled access to the best beaches in the state. You also have the option to spend the time in world famous museums and zoos. As for food choices, get to try an authentic Mexican meal since this city is close to the Mexican border.

This is an upstate city in New York which is best known for its vibrant arts and nightlife scene with a ramped up festival calendar and streets filled with amazing architecture. In terms of food and drinks, Buffalo is the leading craft-beer producer and the locals are known to have perfected the pizza pie (a mix of the New York thin crust and the Chicago deep dish) which makes the local variety of craft beer and pizza a must-try. Let’s not forget the legend of Buffalo being the home of the chicken wing, hence Buffalo wing sauce. If you’re up for a side trip, another good thing about Buffalo is that it is a short trip away from Canada, particularly the Niagara Falls. So spend a few hours just to see this famed tourist destination.

Dubbed as the Music City, Nashville is the stomping ground for America’s country music icons and deserves to be recognized for its concerts and live music scene. This city is good fusion of the old and the new with established acts available at the legendary Grand Ole Opry and rising singer-songwriters at open mic nights. In terms of local warmth and welcome, Nashville locals are low-key, kind and friendly people with a deep-seeded love for music. As for food, this is the best city to get amazing barbecue food complete with the Nashville experience of a lively nightlife scene – cowboy boot-clad people, neon lights and red brick buildings on historical streets.

Far from the hustle and bustle of the New York life is the quaint next-door neighbor of Providence in Rhode Island. The most recommended stops in this city are the quality bakeries, craft breweries, food trucks and innovative bars aka a food trip extravaganza. Considering the city’s size, exploring by foot is the best option as you can discover more about the historic neighborhoods and waterfront. Be one with the locals as you drink their favorite fuel, coffee milk – their take on chocolate milk that dates back to the 19th century.